Benton Ag Plus - November 4, 2023

BENTON AG Plus

Sauk Rapids Herald | Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023

When frost is on the

Serving rural Benton, Morrison, Mille Lacs and Kanabec counties

Kernels for a cause

pumpkin

University of MN Extension

by Tyler Rice

James Whitcomb Riley was a well-liked and widely known mid-western author and poet of the late 19th century who wrote these words: “When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder’s in the shock.” The poem talks of taking in the sights and sounds of the autumn season and is of the era when about 40% of the U.S. population was directly involved in agriculture production.

There’s no doubt Mr. Riley had some acquaintance with the subject as well.

This past week saw an abrupt change in temperatures in Central Minnesota and with that comes the consequences of frost and freeze in the eld and farmyard. A prelude to the occurrence of frost early in the season are cool, clear and calm nights.

Frost page 3B

PHOTOS BY HANS LAMMEMAN

Ken Benoit, of Valley View Farms, donates 100 bushels of corn to the Foley FFA Corn Drive Oct. 24 in Benton County. This year’s corn drive brought in about 1,500 bushels of corn and $5,000 in cash donations.

Foley FFA hosts corn drive for True Friends Camp Courage

BY HANS LAMMEMAN | STAFF WRITER

True Friends Camp Courage, a summer camp for children and adults with disabilities in Maple Lake.

The agricultural community was equally supportive, donating about 1,500 bushels of corn and $5,000 in cash donations.

“Each year when I explain what the corn drive is and why we are doing it, students get excited and more involved with the planning,” Keiser said.

Foley FFA students divided into teams and drove down county roads Oct. 24 as part of an annual tradition that blends generosity and agriculture.

About 40 students spent a full day visiting a combined 60 farms, community members and businesses to receive corn and cash donations to the annual Foley FFA Corn Drive bene ting True Friends Camp Courage.

FFA adviser Victoria Keiser said the students rallied behind the initiative to support

Foley FFA page 3B

Kaylie Kuschel (from left), Chase Dahler, Makayla Benc and Grace Gadacz talk with Ken Benoit and Allen Popp of Valley View Farms Oct. 24 during the annual Foley FFA Corn Drive. The fundraiser benefited True Friends Camp Courage, a summer camp for children and adults with disabilities in Maple Lake.

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Page 2B | SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2023 | SAUK RAPIDS HERALD

COVER CROP of the month

What is the best replacement rate for your dairy?

BY JAMES SALFER University of Minnesota Extension

Phacelia Producers may know that cover crops benefit the soil and agricultural operations, but do they know the benefits of each species? Each month a different cover crop species will be highlighted to provide producers with information needed to successfully grow cover crops or alternative forages on their operation.

Phacelia is a cool-season annual that originated in North America and South America. It is one of the top honey producing plants for honeybees with flowers that will bloom about six weeks after germination. It is a fast-growing crop and can grow to heights of 4 feet.

Phacelia is relatively new to the cover crop world, and its benefits are not widely known as some other species. This species has a shallow root system, so it doesn’t scavenge for nutrients like some other cover crop species. The shallow root system also makes phacelia a poor species for erosion control.

Even with a few negatives, phacelia is still a great cover crop and is an excellent soil builder.

Phacelia will germinate at temperatures as low as 37 degrees and will winterkill at a low temperature of around 20 degrees. Phacelia should be planted at a depth of no more than a quarter of an inch between April 15 and Sept. 15. Rates of seeding will vary based on method of planting and if it is in a mix, but the crop should be planted at a rate of around 5 pounds per acre.

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Dairy farms with a goal of raising a cost-effective number of replacement cows know it is expensive to raise more heifers than needed. The University of Minnesota FINBIN database shows the average cost to raise a heifer was over $2,100 in 2022. Estimates show that replacement costs average about 20% of the overall operating cost of a dairy, the third largest cost behind feed and labor.

Every time a cow is culled, the dairy producer incurs a cash cost, which is the price of the replacement animal minus the salvage value of the culled cow. This number has decreased recently because of the high value of cull cows. Even with higher springing heifer values, it is still not pro table for most farms to raise excess replacements.

Cull rates will vary The optimum cull rate in every herd is going to vary depending on factors including goals, replacements available, current and future herd dynamics (growing, shrinking or stable), capital available, milk price and cull cow value. The goal should

be to ll the pens so each pen is maximizing income over feed cost. It is also important to think about the future productivity of the animals in the pen.

Farmers can be challenged to reach an optimum cull rate based on a speci c benchmark.

High-performing farms may be able to achieve a 25% cull rate, but that is the exception. Even though models show that having a higher percentage of cows in later lactations is more pro table than a young herd with a higher cull rate, it may not be the best strategy for the farm. Many farmers are very pro table and successful with a little higher cull rate.

How to come up with a replacement strategy?

Cull rate can be misleading because it does not indicate why or when the cows were culled. To nd out how operations are truly performing producers must know when and understand why cows are culled. Below is a

er culling cows with below-average production or that could be replaced with an animal of higher potential. These could also be cows that have a history of chronic health conditions or are challenging to work with. In robotic milking herds, these could be cows that milk slowly or that the robot has a dif cult time attaching to.

— Evaluate replacements available and required in the future.

Identify potential gaps and excesses over the next couple of years.

Most of the AI companies have excellent models that can predict future heifer numbers.

— Then, determine a replacement strategy based on a target cull level for the herd and include a few spares as an insurance policy.

Work with the management team to develop a breeding strategy with the best mix of conventional, sexed and beef semen to hit the target number of replacements needed.

The optimum replacement rate is different across farms.

Rather than targeting a speci c replacement rate, management should evaluate the timing and reasons for culling.

The management team can determine the best replacement strategy based on goals and management style. Farms can be successful with a wide range of replacement rates if it is for the correct reasons.

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process that might help producers think about the best replacement strategy for their farm.

— Think about each cow as a potential pro t generator. The goal is to ll the barn with cows that will generate the most pro t. This includes not only milk production but also cows that are trouble-free. In concept, replace a cow anytime her replacement is likely to be more pro table.

— Evaluate early lactation cull rate.

Early lactation culls are expensive and almost always culled because of transition disease or injury. A good goal is for less than 8% of cows to leave less than 60 days in milk.

— Evaluate forced cull rate. If forced culling is high due to mastitis, infertility, lameness or other health reasons, management should evaluate what steps can be taken to minimize the risk of culling in the future.

— Evaluate the voluntary cull rate. Consid-

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Foley FFA from page 1B “Seeing this passion and determination to make a large donation to True Friends Camp Courage truly shows the great members we have.”

Keiser said the fundraiser has been a harvest-time tradition for Foley high schoolers for more than 15 years.

This year, students posted yers around town and online explaining the corn drive and how community members could participate.

“Being a smaller, close-knit community helps,” Keiser said. “ A lot of our members work or live on a farm and communicate with the farmers. Since our tradition of the corn drive has been going on for years, most farmers are aware that it is coming up.”

Valley View Farms

Frost from page 1B The warm surface temperatures cool as warm air rises away from the soil surface. Surface temperatures closest to the ground remain cool because the cool air is heavier than warm air. When air temperature varies from ground level to higher up in the atmosphere, scientists call this a surface temperature inversion.

PHOTO BY HANS LAMMEMAN

Foley FFA Chapter president Chase Dahler looks out the window of his truck while driving classmates and a load of donated corn from Warren Peschl’s farm Oct. 24 in Benton County. Peschl is an Foley High School Class of 1963 graduate and has donated corn to the fundraiser for years.

employee Ken Benoit said the operation has contributed to the fundraiser for years.

He said he looks forward to chatting with the students each year and that they have a more luxurious corn-collect-

ing experience than he remembered from his youth.

“They got it too easy now,” Benoit said with a chuckle. “We used to have to clean up around the corn cribs. Here, they just pull up in the eld,

Without wind, the heavy cool air closest to the ground surface continues to drop in temperature.

Local topography greatly in uences where the coolest air hangs out. Structures, fencerows, ditches, rises in the landscape and other formations can act as barriers trapping cool air in lower regions. Slopes, waterways and undulation in the landscape can also act as conduits for the movement of cold air.

Even growing crop can-

opies and crop residues can create microclimates within the landscape where air temperature will differ from ambient air temperatures. This is why a simple thermometer reading or weather report cannot always adequately predict the threat of freezing temperatures to crops.

So, what exactly is frost? Frost is the deposition of water vapor on a surface that is cooler than the freezing point of water, that is, 32 degrees.

As the water vapor turns

Fire, icebreakers make for meaningful night

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Benton County 4-H ambassadors — Raelee Lyon (front, from left) and Skylar Morris; (second row, from left) Alaina Ferkinhoff, Claudia Schlough, Monica Schlough, Ava Messerli, Alivia Arnold, Emma Kaschmitter, Haley Manea and Jasmine Manea; (third row, from left) Allie Barringer, Sophia Beauchamp, Kathrine Mersinger, Kenzie Manea, Maya Rahm, LuAnn McConnell, Marnie Rahm, Carley Roberts and Kaylee Waters; (fourth row, from left) Hudson Kleine, Eli Rademacher, Espen Evans, Brady Roberts, Robert Mersinger, Johnathon Mersinger, Maggie Schneider, Drew Arnold, Evan Lamberg and Chase Dahler; and (back) adviser Scott Morris — gather for a relationship-building and planning session in October at the home of Ann Olson, University of Minnesota Extension Educator, in Becker. The 4-H ambassador program is for seventh grade youth and above who want to be involved in special events, trainings and service projects.

SAUK RAPIDS HERALD | SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2023 | Page 3B

and we ll up a gravity box up for them.”

FHS senior and Foley FFA Chapter president Chase Dahler said his classmates and he look forward to the yearly fundraiser. For them, it presents the opportunity to spend a school day visiting family, friends and neighbors in the Benton County agricultural community while raising money for the nonpro t.

Dahler led a group of seniors on a Foley area route, delivering corn to Oak Park Co-op Creamery throughout the day.

“I appreciate my crew being willing to come out here today, dealing with my driving and helping collect the corn because it is going to bene t a great cause,” Dahler said. “Huge appreciation to the farms, too, because they provide our food and produce enough crops to keep the economy going.”

immediately from a gas to a solid in the form of ice crystals, frost is the product.

How does a light frost differ from the effects of a killing frost or freeze? The crop species, its maturity and stage of development determines its ability to modulate air temperature within plant structures relative to outside ambient air temperature. Extended time of exposure to freezing temperatures or abrupt exposure to freezing temperatures does the most damage to plant tissue. When ice crystals form inside or sometimes adjacent to plant cells, they tend to rupture cell membranes so that these structures become “leaky.” This usually damages the structures and function of the plant cells enough to cause death of the tissue.

Some freeze-tolerant plants feature ice-binding proteins that mitigate freeze by adsorbing ice crystals, modifying them and stalling recrystallization. Microclimate and morphology generally will help plants modulate temperature enough that a short time at 28 to 32 degrees will not drastically affect the crop except for some moderate damage.

When the air temperature drops below 28 degrees for a signi cant length of time, whole plant death is imminent.

Despite a glistening autumn morning frost predicting colder winter months on the horizon, I hope that this harvest season sets your heart “a-clickin’ like the tickin’ of the clock” as it did the poet.

A calendar of area events to expand agricultural knowledge

Growing your education Presentation on oak tree health Join the University of Minnesota Extension and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to learn about issues affecting oak health in Central Minnesota, including drought, native pests and diseases as well as oak wilt. Also covered will be resources to help people identify oak issues and promote tree health.

The event takes place from 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7, at the Stearns County Service Center, 3301 County Road 138, Waite Park.

Register by Nov. 3 at z.umn.edu/oakhealth. The event is limited to 90 participants.

Residents of Stearns, Benton, Morrison and Sherburne counties can direct questions to quincy@umn.edu or call 320255-6169, ext. 1.

Farm transition and estate planning webinars The University of Minnesota Extension is presenting four webinars on introductory farm transition and estate planning.

Webinars, which began Oct. 4, are Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to noon. There is no cost to attendees. Attend one or all.

David Bau, Nathan Hulinsky and Susanne Hinricks, extension educators in agriculture business management, will discuss several issues and ideas for farm transition and estate planning.

Attendees will receive a link to materials from each session. Participants can register at z.umn.edu/farm-transition-and-estate-planning23.

Remaining topics for each session are as follows: — Nov. 8 is Putting the Basics Together: Estate, Retirement, Healthcare and Business Transfer Planning.

Land rental agreement sessions Farm land rental rates are the largest input for producers, and negotiating fair rental agreements is a challenge. Landlords, producers and agri-business professionals can learn more about establishing fair farm rental agreements by attending one of several presentations in November and December.

David Bau and Nathan Hulinsky, extension educators in agriculture business management, will provide several ways — through examples, factsheets and worksheets — to determine a fair farm land rental rate for both parties.

No registration is required.

Land rent meetings will be: — 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 16, at Douglas County Public Works, 526 Willow Drive, Alexandria.

— 9:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 17, at Charlie’s Cafe, 115 Main St. E., Freeport.

— 5:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 17, at the Morrison County Government Center, 213 First Ave. SE, Little Falls.

— 9:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 1, at Sherburne Princeton Area Library, 100 Fourth Ave. S., Princeton.

— 9:30 a.m. Monday, Dec. 4, at Meeker County Extension Office Conference Room, 1230 N. Armstrong Ave., Litchfield.

— 1:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 4, at Wright County Government Center Room 1104, 3650 Braddock Ave. NE, Buffalo.

Beef Quality Assurance online training The University of Minnesota Extension and Minnesota Beef Council will host online Beef Quality Assurance training at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 30. Producers attending the free workshop will receive a three-year certification.

Certification is voluntary, but over the last three years, people have been asked to the complete the program in order to market to certain processors. Only one person from an operation is required to be certified to ensure the entire operation is following standards.

Register for the two-hour online training at z.umn.edu/ BQANov30.

Reducing Market Risk Program Reducing Market Risk is a farm finance program offered by the University of Minnesota Extension that aims to increase resiliency of dairy producers in complex markets. The program is open to all livestock producers and will takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 5, at the Initiative Foundation, 405 First St. SE, Little Falls.

The event features four speakers and a catered lunch.

Register at z.umn.edu/reducingmarketrisk2023 or by contacting Dana Adams at adam1744@umn.edu or 320-2042968. Deadline to register is Nov. 28.

“Dairy producers have been struggling with low milk prices and continually have to battle a fluctuating market,” said Adams, a University of Minnesota Extension Educator. “Dairy producers might benefit from hearing ways to optimize cash flow and hear about ways they can strategically control risk on their operations. This program will give our attendees the opportunity to ask experts their tough questions and start the ball rolling on wrapping up farm finances for 2023.”

Growing your education page 5B

Page 4B | SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2023 | SAUK RAPIDS HERALD

BENTON AG

4-H’ers get creative at holiday workshop

BY ANN OLSON University of Minnesota Extension Educator

Trevor Tasa (left), of Becker, and Leander Sakry, of Foley, craft a pinecone tree at the Benton County 4-H Holiday Craft & Painting Class at Foley Public Schools in Foley.

Stations included how to make a pinecone creation of a tree, ornament or angel; a snowman keychain; a yarn pumpkin; a gnome, snowflake and round wood ornament; a set of llama cards; a fall mason jar; and a block Frankenstein and mummy decoration.

Annual participants Jessie Berger and her daughter, Oaklynn, make a yarn gnome ornament during the Benton County 4-H Holiday Workshop & Painting Class in Foley. The Bergers are from Becker.

“It is fun to come to the Holiday Workshop and Painting Class because you get to learn how to make cool things,” said 4-H’er Leander Sakry, of Foley, during the annual event hosted during the MEA break. “I like that you get to learn how to make things and get all kinds of new experiences. I really enjoyed the process of making the fall jar and guring out how important it is to follow each step in the right order.”

There were 11 crafting stations at the Holiday Workshop and Painting Class which took place at Foley Public Schools. The day is set aside for youth to get out of the house and spend a few hours making crafts from kits prepared by some of the 4-H clubs in Benton County, and it encompasses the 4-H philosophy of adult volunteers providing youth opportunities to teach and lead other youth.

4-H volunteer and local artist Amy Kleine,

PHOTOS SUBMITTED

Sina Mersinger (left), of Foley, is assisted by Benton County 4-H ambassador Kenzie Manea, of Sauk Rapids, during the Benton County 4-H Holiday Workshop & Painting Class over MEA break in Foley. Youth rotated between 11 crafting stations at the event.

of Sauk Rapids, worked with three groups of youth that painted their own canvases. The youth chose from three themes: a pumpkin, a spooky cat or a snowman.

“Each year I come, it gets a little easier to paint the canvas painting,” said Alice Gay, of Becker.

“Amy does a great job at explaining each step.”

At each of the other stations, 4-H youth ambassadors and adult volunteers taught participants how to make a pinecone creation of a tree, ornament or angel; a snowman keychain; a yarn pumpkin; a gnome, snow ake

and round wood ornament; a set of llama cards; a fall mason jar; and a block Frankenstein and mummy decoration.

The smiling and excited youth focused, using glue guns, paint brushes and adding embellishments to their creations.

Participants nished not only with boxes lled with holiday crafts, but also with an increased understanding of art, how to repurpose trash into treasure and the value of making thoughtful, homemade gifts.

“My favorite thing to make was a yarn pumpkin,” said Rosalee Bemboom, of Foley. “It was so soft, and it was relaxing to make. The hardest craft I made today was the yarn gnome ornament. You had to wrap the board like 50 times and do a lot of hitch knots.”

Coleman Pekarek, of Buckman, also favored making the yarn pumpkin.

“It will be fun to make these at home too,” he said. “I just have to be careful not to get knots in the yarn.”

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Anhydrous safety should be top concern after harvest

A calendar of area events to expand agricultural knowledge

Growing your education

MDA offers safety tips

GRAPHIC COURTESY OF THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Nitrogen fertilizer is restricted from being applied in purple areas during the fall season. Producers can learn more at www.mda.state.mn.us/know-where-when-applyfall-nitrogen-fertilizer.

emblem visible from the rear, and be sure the tank is secured to the tractor or truck with two separate, independent chains that supplement the hitch pin/clip.

If an accident or spill occurs, seek medical care if needed, immediately call 911, and then the Minnesota Duty Of cer at 1-800-4220798 or 651-649-5451.

You can nd more safety, storage and transportation information on the MDA’s website.

As a reminder, fall

application of NH3 should happen after average soil temperatures reach 50 degrees or cooler to help prevent nitrogen loss and ensure more nitrogen will be available for next season’s crop.

Under the MDA’s Groundwater Protection Rule, fall nitrogen fertilizer application is prohibited in vulnerable groundwater areas of Minnesota due to environmental concerns or risks.

Cindy Hale, a University of Minnesota Extension Educator in food safety, will present a free workshop regarding cottage foods in Minnesota.

The workshop, will cover what types of foods qualify as cottage foods, the advantages of cottage food production and how people can register as a cottage food producers and sell products from their homes.

The workshop takes place from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 5, at the Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation’s large conference room, 501 W. St. Germain St., St. Cloud.

Space is limited. People can register at ifound.org/ trainings or contact Haakon Lehn at hlehn@ifound.org with questions.

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— Position equipment away and downwind from homes, people and livestock.

Safety is also key to those maintaining NH3 equipment, operating NH3 storage facilities and transporting NH3.

— Never assume NH3 lines are empty.

— Always wear the required protective safety equipment.

— Have access to safety water (NH3 storage facilities must have a minimum of one open top container holding 150 gallons of clean, accessible water or an accessible emergency shower with a plumbed eyewash. A 5-gallon container of clean, accessible water must accompany NH3 nurse tanks).

When towing a nurse tank down the road, drive sensibly.

Do not go any faster than 30 mph, display a slow-moving vehicle

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ST. PAUL — Many farmers and custom applicators will soon apply anhydrous ammonia, or NH3, after harvest.

Even with a rush against time and the weather, safety should never be compromised. Accidents involving NH3 have proven how dangerous and deadly the fertilizer can be when not handled properly.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture offers the following tips to farmers, fertilizer dealers and custom applicators to safely eld apply NH3.

— Always wear NH3-rated goggles and gloves. Never wear contact lenses.

— Be sure to have a clean and accessible emergency water supply of at least 5 gallons available.

— Exercise caution when making connections and disconnections of transfer lines, treating them as if they always contain NH3.

— Stand upwind when connecting, disconnecting, bleeding lines or transferring NH3. Also, close, bleed, disconnect and secure valves, and transfer lines when taking breaks or disconnecting lines.

And, be sure to handle hose end valves by the valve body.

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Page 6B | SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2023 | SAUK RAPIDS HERALD

Farm Halloween As a town kid, I grew up celebrating ting-stuffed shell and all. The head was a Halloween and have many fond memobit problematic in that there was so much ries of the holiday, and even though we stuf ng in it that it kept sliding forward, lived in the country, I wanted my chilbut safety pins and a bit of ingenuity dren to experience that fun. worked wonders.

Trick-or-treating was so easy for me In hindsight, I realized I never made as a child. I grew up on one of the main a costume for our youngest, but he was streets of a town in southwest Minnesota, always happy with the hand-me-downs and all I had to do was walk out my front or simple store-bought garb. door and go house-to-house up one side After a quick supper was eaten, I’d RUMINATIONS of the block and down the other, lling load the two in the backseat and we’d WITH MARY MARY BARRON-TRAUT head to town. Our rst stop was always my paper grocery bag with candy.

Living on the farm several miles out Grandma Traut’s. (Grandpa Traut was of town proved to be a bit trickier for my sons, but it usually in the barn helping my hubby milk, but he’d never deterred us. see the costumes later.) Grandma would have treat First, I was fairly handy with my sewing mabags already packed for the boys, and she’d ooh and chine back in the day, so I pieced together some aah at their costumes, and then we’d be on our way. pretty decent costumes. When our oldest was 4, one When the boys were very young, our next stop of his favorite shows was “Darkwing Duck” so that would be their daycare provider’s home. She, too, was the costume he wore that year. The only probwould share her appreciation for their costumes, lem we ran into that year was a common one for share a special treat, and then we’d be on the road to most Minnesota trick-or-treaters. It was 1991 – the the last stop of the night — my parents’ home. There year of the blizzard. By the time the evening was Grandma Barron would be dressed as a witch, and done, Darkwing’s little webbed felt feet were falling we’d help her pass out treats to the neighborhood apart. kids while Grandpa watched TV. The next year, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” As the kids grew older, the trips to see the was all the rage, and Donatello was the character of grandparents would occur later in the evening choice. I located a pattern and set myself to work. because the rst order of business was to meet the The nal product was pretty true to form, batcousins in town to go trick-or-treating with them.

First, we’d walk through their cul-de-sac collecting treats from their neighbors, then we’d pile into our cars and caravan to a housing development where we knew there’d be lots of homes participating in the treat-giving ritual.

After we’d exhausted the “just one more house” refrain from the kids, we’d say goodnight and load our booty back into the car for the quick stop at the grandparents’ homes and then the ride home. The chatter in the car would whirl about the amount of candy given out at one home versus another and about the types of costumes they’d seen.

Once home, the boys would dump their bounty onto the living room rug and sort it by type as we watched a rerun of whatever Halloween cartoon classic was airing. The best memory for each of them was the year they each collected a pillowcase full of candy.

After proudly showing Dad their candy treasures, they would scoop it up into bags and run to their rooms to stash it in a hiding place.

Getting them to go to bed on those nights was always a bit dif cult due to the excitement and sugar-rush, but once they were curled up and comfy in their beds, I could rest knowing that I had helped create some memories and traditions that they could perhaps share sometime down the road.

PUBLIC NOTICES NOTICE OF MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE PROBATE NOTICE STATE OF MINNESOTA COUNTY OF STEARNS SEVENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT DISTRICT COURT PROBATE DIVISION Court File No: 73-PR-23-7132 NOTICE OF INFORMAL APPOINTMENT OF PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS (INTESTATE) Estate of Krista R. Christianson, aka Krista Rhea Christianson, Decedent.

Notice is given that an application for informal appointment of personal representative has been led with the Registrar. No will has been presented for probate. The application has been granted.

Notice is also given that the Registrar has informally appointed Richard O. Christianson, whose address is 485 Limestone Court, Eyota, Minnesota, 55934, as personal representative of the Estate of the Decedent. Any heir or other interested person may be entitled to appointment as personal representative

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or may object to the appointment of the personal representative. Unless objections are led with the Court (pursuant to Minnesota Statutes section 524.3-607) and the Court otherwise orders, the personal representative has full power to administer the Estate including, after 30 days from the date of issuance of letters, the power to sell, encumber, lease or distribute real estate.

Any objections to the appointment of the Personal Representative must be led with this Court and will be heard by the Court after the ling of an appropriate petition and proper notice of hearing.

Notice is also given that (subject to Minnesota Statutes section 524.3-801) all creditors having claims against the Estate are required to present the claims to the personal representative or to the Court Administrator within four months after the date of this Notice or the claims will be barred.

Dated: 10-20-2023 /s/ Gina DeVilbiss-Hendry Registrar Dated: 10-20-2023 /s/ George Lock Court Administrator Attorney for Personal Representative Jennifer A. Gumbel Wagner Oehler, LTD. 1801 Greenview Drive SW Rochester, MN, 55904 Attorney License No: 0387724 Telephone: (507) 288-5567 FAX: (507) 288-5589 Email: jennifer.gumbel@ wagnerlegalmn.com

THE RIGHT TO VERIFICATION OF THE DEBT AND IDENTITY OF THE ORIGINAL CREDITOR WITHIN THE TIME PROVIDED BY LAW IS NOT AFFECTED BY THIS ACTION. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that default has occurred in conditions of the following described mortgage: DATE OF MORTGAGE: March 13, 2013 MORTGAGOR: Eric J Novak single man.

M O RT G A G E E : Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for American Heritage National Bank, its successors and assigns.

DATE AND PLACE OF RECORDING: Recorded March 18, 2013 Benton County Recorder, Document No. 395470.

ASSIGNMENTS OF MORTGAGE: Assigned to: Carrington Mortgage Services, LLC. Dated October 2, 2023 Recorded October 4, 2023, as Document No. 468598.

TRANSACTION AGENT: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. TRANSACTION AGENT’S MORTGAGE I D E N T I F I C AT I O N NUMBER ON MORTGAGE: 100590200000011536 LENDER OR BROKER AND MORTGAGE ORIGINATOR STATED ON MORTGAGE: American Heritage National Bank RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGE SERVICER: Carrington Mortgage Services LLC M O R T G A G E D PROPERTY ADDRESS: 10320 Golden Spike Road Northeast, Gilman, MN

56333 TAX PARCEL I.D. #: 140000502 LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTY: See attached Legal Description.

State of Minnesota Benton County That part of the Northeast Quarter of the Northeast Quarter, of Section 4, Township 37 North, Range 29; described as follows: Commencing at the Northeast corner of said Northeast Quarter of the Northeast Quarter; thence West on an assumed bearing, along the north line of said Northeast Quarter of the Northeast Quarter a distance of 920.40 feet to a point herinafter referred to as Point “A”, to the intersection with the center line of Benton County Road 3: thence South 49 degrees 54 minutes 00 seconds West, along said center line 166.70 feet; thence South 21 degrees 44 minutes 00 seconds East 217.00 feet; thence South 49 degrees 54 minutes 00 seconds West, parallel with said center line 160.00 feet to the point of beginning of the land to be described; thence North 30 degrees 53 minutes 40 seconds West 212.75 feet to a point in said center line, distant 361.70 feet southwesterly of aforementioned Point “A”; thence South 49 degrees 54 minutes 00 seconds West, along said center line 143.00 feet; thence South 23 degrees 29 minutes 48 seconds East 214.91 feet to the intersection with a line drawn South 49 degrees 54 minutes 00 seconds West, parallel with said center line, from the point of beginning; thence North 49 degrees 54 minutes 00 seconds East to the point of beginning. Subject to the right-of-way of said Benton County Road 3 and easements of record.

COUNTY IN WHICH PROPERTY IS LOCATED: Benton O R I G I N A L PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF MORTGAGE: $115,306.00 AMOUNT DUE AND CLAIMED TO BE DUE AS OF DATE OF NOTICE, INCLUDING TAXES, IF ANY, PAID

BY MORTGAGEE: $91,303.03 That prior to the commencement of this mortgage foreclosure proceeding Mortgagee/ Assignee of Mortgagee complied with all notice requirements as required by statute; That no action or proceeding has been instituted at law or otherwise to recover the debt secured by said mortgage, or any part thereof; PURSUANT to the power of sale contained in said mortgage, the above described property will be sold by the Sheriff of said county as follows: DATE AND TIME OF SALE: December 7, 2023 at 10:00 AM PLACE OF SALE: Benton County Sheriff’s Of ce, 581 Highway 23 Northeast Foley, MN to pay the debt then secured by said Mortgage, and taxes, if any, on said premises, and the costs and disbursements, including attorneys’ fees allowed by law subject to redemption within six (6) months from the date of said sale by the mortgagor(s), their personal representatives or assigns unless reduced to Five (5) weeks under MN Stat. §580.07.

TIME AND DATE TO VACATE PROPERTY: If the real estate is an owneroccupied, single-family dwelling, unless otherwise provided by law, the date on or before which the mortgagor(s) must vacate the

property if the mortgage is not reinstated under section 580.30 or the property is not redeemed under section 580.23 is 11:59 p.m. on June 7, 2024, unless that date falls on a weekend or legal holiday, in which case it is the next weekday, and unless the redemption period is reduced to 5 weeks under MN Stat.

Secs. 580.07 or 582.032.

MORTGAGOR(S) RELEASED FROM FINANCIAL OBLIGATION ON MORTGAGE: None “THE TIME ALLOWED BY LAW FOR REDEMPTION

BY THE MORTGAGOR, THE MORTGAGOR’S P E R S O N A L R E P R E S E N T AT I V E S OR ASSIGNS, MAY BE REDUCED TO FIVE WEEKS IF A JUDICIAL ORDER IS ENTERED UNDER MINNESOTA STATUTES, SECTION 582.032, DETERMINING, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THAT THE MORTGAGED PREMISES ARE IMPROVED WITH A RESIDENTIAL DWELLING OF LESS THAN FIVE UNITS, ARE NOT PROPERTY USED IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION, AND ARE ABANDONED.” Dated: October 5, 2023 Carrington Mortgage Services, LLC Mortgagee/Assignee of Mortgagee LIEBO, WEINGARDEN, DOBIE & BARBEE, P.L.L.P. Attorneys for Mortgagee/ Assignee of Mortgagee 4500 Park Glen Road #300 Minneapolis, MN 55416 (952) 925-6888 85 - 23-005343 FC IN THE EVENT REQUIRED

BY FEDERAL LAW: THIS IS A COMMUNICATION FROM A DEBT COLLECTOR. R-41-6B